Alpha of Cold Blue Embers
by Sapphirewolf05
Summary: When a young girl hungers for adventure, she forgets to be careful of what she wishes; she is now stuck in a world she never new actually existed! Amuto comes later in the story!
1. Mysteries Unleashed

Night fell in a soft wave of stars and moonlight. As the gentle light streamed across the land, I stared out my window and gloried in it. Kairi, my distant cousin, just frowned at me from afar, saying nothing. A flip of a page caught his full attention.

I turned to him, my eyes shining with wonder. "Kairi, do you believe in werewolves?"

He merely shook his head, keeping his eyes lowered, devouring the book in his hands. I stuck my tongue out at him childishly, then returned my gaze to the glorious moon. "I like to believe they exist. It gives me chills when I think about them."

Kairi sighed in irritation, shutting the book angrily. "They don't exist, Amu, stop acting like a child."

I pouted silently, ignoring his harsh words.

As time passed, the moon rose full into the midnight sky. I found Kairi asleep on his plush, red armchair, a book plastered to his face. Giggling in silence, I stood, tiptoeing around my cousin to grab my cloak, one of a deep, purple color. Flipping the hood onto my head, I opened the front door, closing it softly behind me as I walked out into the chilly night air.

I took a deep breath, excitement overwhelming me. This wasn't the first time I'd disobeyed Kairi, and it probably wouldn't be the last, but this was unlike other times. Before had been much more...innocent.

This time, I was putting myself in danger. At least, that's what I liked to believe.

As I walked the cobblestone streets, with the oil lamps as my only light, I looked around carefully. My step was light; you couldn't hear me even if you were right by my side. The cool autumn air made me shiver.

"Hey!"

I turned, startled by the voice. No one had been outside only moments before.

I relaxed as my close friend, Kukai, sauntered over. "Isn't it a little late to be walking in the dark?"

Smiling, I shook my head.

"Not at all. It's better without all the noise there is during the day."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Right. Shouldn't you be going along home now?"

I tilted my head to the side, looking him over questioningly.

"Why would I do that?"

He sighed, shaking his head.

"You know my dad's the law around here. As well as that, he believes in werewolves just as much as you do. I swear, he's got the whole yard covered in silver and such. He'd go on a rampage if he found you out here by yourself in the middle of the night."

He seemed rather annoyed with this. He lowered his eyes momentarily before meeting mine again.

"I also don't want you to get hurt. You don't know what weirdos might be lurking around this time of night."

My eyes glinted mischievously. "I know; I'm looking at one."

He grimaced. "Haha, very funny. Good one. Now, go home."

I pouted, using his one weakness against him. "I don't want to. Kairi's been all bossy ever since my parents left me with him. It's really annoying."

Kukai sighed, and I could see his interior struggle through his eyes. Finally, he spoke.

"Fine, but I'm sticking by you until you go home, you got that, Kit?"

I smiled cutely at the use of my nickname. As I seemed to like cats so much, people in town often called me 'Kit' or 'Kitten'.

As we walked through the town, things began to appear quite eery. Kukai grabbed my hand, and I noticed the wetness of his palm. Glancing at him from the corner of my eye, I spoke up.

"So, um, why were you outside in the first place?"

He looked down at me, with an almost sad expression on his face. His green eyes seemed to glowing, making them appear radiant...wait, glow?

I stopped, turning to look him straight in the eyes. He was startled by my sudden stop. Laughing nervously, he looked away.

"Um, I was actually on my way to see you, Kit. I had needed to tell you something-"

"Tell her what?"

I started, turning to face the figure that had spoken. It was a guy about sixteen years old, our age, who was casually leaning against the side of a building. His hair looked black in the dark stillness, but his eyes glowed blue...and looked extremely angry.

Kukai stepped in front of me, leaving my hand to fall to my side. I struggled not to grab it back; I was frightened.

"Personal things, Ikuto. What are you doing in the village?"

The boy, 'Ikuto', didn't respond. I balled my hand into a light fist and began nibbling my knuckle. I always did that when I was nervous. The action seemed to attract the stranger's attention.

"Kukai, is she..."

Kukai growled, causing me to step back, trip, and fall to the ground. He looked down at me apologetically, then returned his gaze to Ikuto.

"There's no way in hell, and I'd know; I've known her since she was born. So why don't you just crawl back into the forest where you belong?"

The stranger chuckled, his eyes peering at me through the darkness.

"Maybe I don't wanna.", he cooed appealingly.

Kukai growled again. "I swear to God I'll rip your throat out."

Ikuto cocked his head, seemingly amused. "There's a god?"

Kukai straightened his figure; he'd been unknowingly crouching towards Ikuto.

"Enough playing around. Just leave, would you?"

Ikuto was still looking down at me, a wicked smiled playing along his face.

"I'll retreat, for now, but do you really think you'll be able to stay much longer?"

He took a light sniff, curling his lips. I shivered when I noticed the fangs that protruded.

"The girl smells lovely. Hope to see _her _again soon."

Kukai snarled in anger. "Over my dead body. Now leave."

Ikuto put up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright."

He looked me over once more, a smirk planted on his face.

"See you later, little _Kitten."_

I covered my mouth, biting my palm anxiously. The boy chuckled and simply walked away, vanishing into a mist that had begun to rise.

Kukai turned to me, his eyes looking sad enough to make God himself shed a tear. As he approached me, I couldn't help but slide myself away from him. I regretted it instantly; he looked like I'd just torn him apart.

"Kit, I'm so-"

"You", I interrupted, "have a lot of explaining to do."

He nodded silently, offering me his hand. I took it, grateful for his strength. As he pulled me up, I found myself wrapped in his arms. My forehead creased in confusion.

_What's going on?_


	2. Wonders of the Night and Hot Cocoa

I was handed a steaming cup of cocoa. I nodded my thanks, accepting the warm blanket Kukai had draped upon my shoulders. I blew at my drink, waiting for it to cool.

After the incident, Kukai had led me back to his place. There would be no room for conversation if Kairi had been present, so I'd agreed easily. Unfortunately, Kukai notice my constant shivering and had me sit down as soon as we'd entered. I'd noticed right away that his father was absent, which I found unusual. The uppity man was always ranting whenever I would come over in the past, but the house was surprisingly silent and still.

Kukai sat across from me, gazing at the fireplace intently. I couldn't help but notice how intelligent and strong he looked right then. He caught me looking and gave me a weak smile. Leaning forward in his chair, he clasped his hands and stared at me sullenly, as if waiting for something.

I searched his eyes as calmly as possible. The glow had vanished, replaced by the reflection of the fire. He looked so serious...my gentle friend.

Coughing, I decided to speak up.

"So...are you, like, a werewolf?"

He sighed, leaning back in his chair.

"You could say that, but not the kind you read in your books at home, Kit."

I couldn't help but blush, and his smile widened a bit. He continued;

"I don't turn into some freaky half-this half-that thing; when I turn, I'm all wolf."

I became intrigued as he picked out truth from lies, shooting him questions every once in awhile. For example, The silver thing was definetly true, although it proved to be more of a discomfort than a true threat.

I couldn't help but wonder, so I decide to persist. "Can you change for me?"

He blushed violently.

I'd rather not, Kit. You see, after we change-"

I gasped. "Oh, do you..."

He shook his head, embarassed.

"No, no! I just come back shirtless, is all...but I'd rather you not see that..."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "We were shirtless all the time as kids, whats the problem now?"

He looked pointedly at my large chest. I crossed my arms, my face growing hot.

"Alright, fine, I'll give you that, but what about you?"

He looked away from me.

"Fine. Just this once wouldn't hurt..."

Standing, he closed his eyes. After blinking a couple of times, the handsome boy I'd grown to know had transformed into a rusty colored wolf. I carefully laid out a hand, unsure how much control he had in this form. Rolling his eyes, he placed his large head on my lap.

A thought that was not my own entered my head.

I'm not some wild animal, Kit. I'm in control.

I gasped, gazing at him in awe. I rubbed his fur gently, then gave him a hug. Along with cats, I'd always loved big dogs.

"Wow, it's cool that I can hear you in my thoughts!"

He froze, looking up at me with widened green eyes.

You can actually hear me?

I cocked my head in confusion.

"Yeah, why? Am I not allowed?"

He scratched the floor and whined uncomfortable, stepping away from me before changing back to normal. I tried not to stare at the toned abs and chest set before me, instead choosing to look up into his eyes. He looked troubled.

"Are you ok, Kukai?"

He shook out his hair, leaving a messy pile of locks on his head. "I'm fine, but you really shouldn't have been able to hear me. Usually, only wolves can communicate that way-"

I perked up immediately. "Am I a wolf too then?"

He laughed nervously shaking his head. "No, of course not. I've known you forever, and aside from this tensy little thing, you've shown no signs of being like me. If you had, I would have talked to you about this a lot sooner."

I sighed in disappointment. "Alright, so who was that guy, the one at the edge of town?"

Kukai grumbled softly under his breath. "That was Ikuto. He's supposed to be the next alpha of a pack located in this area, but we'll see if he's strong enough."

I thought back a bit. "How did he know my nickname?"

He laughed dryly. "Probably a wild guess. Pay no mind to it."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Are you part of his pack?"

He shook his head. "My true father wanted better for me than pack life. It gets a little rough out there, considering the low ratio of females, as well as constant starvation, so he had me given to the man that lives here."

I nodded quietly. "Where is he, anyways?"

He sighed. "I used some influence to have him go drinking."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation. He shrugged dismissively.

"Influence is a type of spirit thing we can use to have people do little things for us. Nothing big, like world domination, but small thing, like getting them out of the way."

I wasn't sure what to think at the moment, and was surprised when Kukai continued.

"Ikuto seems to have become infatuated with you...it happens in a moments notice, but I'll keep you safe..."

I jumped out of my chair, spilling the warm hot chocolate everywhere.

"Infatuated? What does that mean?"

He sighed, standing to find a towel.

"He has a strong interest in you. Most likely your scent, which is, admittedly, absolutely delightful."

He smiled crookedly, and I could help but scoff.

"Right, so it's all the scent, right?"

He looked uncomfortable as he bent down to clean up my mess.

"Actually, yeah. I've gotta admit, there were times when I myself wanted to...well, anyways, it's forbidden anyways. Now that I'm considered full age, I'm supposed to be returning to the forest."

I looked down at him, my eyes widening.

"You're going to leave me?"

He scratched his head, rising to his feet. "That's the thing; it's gotten complicated now. I can't just leave you along with Mr. Badass skulking around, but I also have a duty to the pack."

I let the details sink in. I wasn't at all sure what to make of the situation. Absentmindedly, I began licking my thumb. Chuckling, Kukai handed me a handkerchief to wipe myself off.

"Thanks.", I mumbled. He shrugged off my chilled voice, looking me over quietly.

"Hey, Kit?"

I raised my gaze to his, wet handkerchief in hand. "Yeah?"

Chuckling, he leaned over and licked my cheek. I gasped in surprise, throwing the handkerchief at him as hard as possible. He just laughed, dodging it with ease.

"Hey, sorry, but there was cocoa on your cheek."

I rubbed the violated spot, trying to hide the blush beginning to rise in my cheeks. "Well, next time, just tell me, all right?"

He sighed, giving me an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry...I'm used to acting on impulse."

I decided to let the matter go, instead pointing out the cabinet in the corner.

"Game time?", I asked.

Kukai grinned. "Game on, Kit."

Little did we know, as we played our games and laughed our joy, that cold purple eyes watched were gazing over, soon disappearing into the vanishing night.


	3. Enough

I pulled at a loose spring, sighing in distress. Where was I? Huddled under a dusty old bed. That's right; under the bed like a monster preying on a small child.

After the night I'd discovered Kukai's true colors, he'd talked to Kairi about having me stay with him. Kairi was more than happy to oblige; he enthused about a new bookcase that he'd ordered and blah, blah, blah.

It's been about a week, and I hadn't been allowed to stray from the house unless Kukai was with me. I'd had just about enough when I couldn't even go into the back garden by myself.

"Kit", he'd pleaded when I'd first snuck under the bed, "Please try to understand. It's for your own safety. I'm your friend, and I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

After about two hours of coaxing, he'd finally given up and left the room.

Poking my head out, I looked around the room. It was an old guestroom that hadn't been used in about fifteen years. There were a bunch of stories revolving around this room. Just thinking about it made me shiver in delight.

I pulled myself out from under the bed, mourning my long pink locks, which had become dirty. I combed my fingers through my hair, wincing when I snagged a knot. At that moment, I noticed the window at the far right of the room. Grinning, I pulled the sheets off the old bed and began knotting them together.

Securing my hand made rope to a latch on the window, I took a deep breath and looked down. Being two stories up, it was kind of high. The room below me was the sitting room, where I knew Kukai and his father were talking. The old man, of course, had noticed that I was being held prisoner.

Clinging to the rope, I began my descent. It was only after I'd successfully gotten my feet to the ground and cleared the fence that I realized that it was dark out.

I roamed the streets, rubbing my bare arms to keep warm. The oil lamps seemed to make the night all the more threatening. I juggled my options in my head. I could go see my friend Yaya, but she lived at the edge of the village, right near the forest. It would be trouble if I ran into that guy, Ikuto, again. Then again, I could always go see Tadase. He was located more towards the center of the village, therefore much safer.

I shook my head in annoyance. Since when had I ever trembled before danger? I thrived in it! It was then and there that I decided that visiting Yaya was a must. Besides, at one point I'd had a crush on Tadase, but after a few conversations, I had no doubt in my mind that a visit would be awkward and strange.

I kept close to the building, keeping in the darkest parts of the night. As I closed in on the edge of the village, I began to shiver. I was extremely cold; I was in a simple, breezy nightgown.

Just as Yaya's pretty little cottage came into view, I heard voices.

"Damn that girl, when I find her-!"

"Stay calm, she would never put 'erself in danger. Serves ya right, prison guard."

"Hey!"

I clasped a hand over my mouth, trying not to panic. Kukai and his father were near. Kukai had, no doubt, used his heightened sense of smell to pick up on my trail. I knelt to the ground and grabbed a handful of dirt, rubbing it over my hands and bare arms, trying to blend into my surroundings.

Kukai grasped his hair in frustration. "She doesn't understand how dangerous it is out here during the night."

His old man laughed humorously. "Course she does, poor thing didn't have a choice, ya wouldn't let 'er outta yer sight, not fer a moment!"

Their voices began to fade. They were heading for Rima's place. I sighed in relief. Rima would, of course, understand why I couldn't come to her first. I always did, which is why Kukai would naturally head in her direction.

Rising to my feet, I decided to jog the rest of the way. The faster I got there, the faster I could find someplace to hide.

A hand wrapped around my wrist, stopping me completely. I whirled around in alarm, greeted by the glowing blue eyes and nasty smirk that had haunted my dreams.

"You.", I whispered.

He cocked his head, his smirk turning into a grin. "Yes, me. Good to know you remembered."

I gave an experimental pull, testing his grip. It was solid.

Glaring up at him, I gave a silent prayer. Please let me seem as strong as I pretend to be. "What do you want?"

Shit, my voice had squeaked. This only made his grin widen.

"Nothing much. Just want to get to know you better, that's all. What do you say?"

He jerked me towards him, and I yelped as I landed on his smooth, solid chest. A smooth, solid chest that wasn't covered by clothing. My cheeks began to grow hot as I tried to pull away.

He clucked his tongue at me. "Aw, come on, don't be like that."

He leaned closer. "I have secrets I could tell you. Secrets about your friend, too."

I stopped struggling and blinked up at him in confusion. "He's already told me everything..."

Ikuto chuckled. "No, my pet, he hasn't."

I bit my tongue, relaxing myself. If I could just make it seem like I wouldn't run...

The boy ran a hand through his hair, almost as if in exasperation. "Come now, really? That's what all prey think. However...", He ran his tongue along the back of my ear, causing me to tremble. "When I catch sight of something I want, I'll catch it. I don't let my prey slip through my fingers."

His husky voice made me want to melt. I knew very well what he was, but when he spoke, it's like reality distanced itself from me.

Swallowing, I place my small hands on his chest, giving a helpless push. "Please let me go."

He hugged me closer, breathing in the scent of my hair. "And why would I want to do that?"

I couldn't help but take a little sniff of him myself, and was surprised to find how strong his scent was. He smelled of citrus, like oranges and lime. I almost lost myself to it. Snapping back to reality, I breathed through my mouth, keeping my nose in check.

"Let me go! I don't care what you wolves get yourselves into, don't tangle me into your business!"

My loud voice caused him to flinch. It also caused the front door of the cottage to open, and a little Yaya poked her head out. She reacted immediately.

"Hey! Get your hands off my Amu!"

She started running towards us. I sighed in relief when Ikuto released me.

His lips grazed my ear. "Until next time, my little pet."

He walked away just as Yaya reached me. "You jerk! Trying to get fresh, go back to the forest where you belong, you animal!"

I couldn't help but smile. It was a fact that Yaya knew nothing of his heritage; she didn't realize how much of an 'animal' he was.

I gave the petit girl a hug, keeping myself as calm as possible. "Thanks, Yaya, you're a lifesaver."

She struggled out of my grip and grabbed my hand. "Come! I'll make some tea! Yaya makes the most wonderful tea!"

She pulled me towards the cottage, and I went willingly. I could use a break after everything that had happened.


	4. The Plan

I huddled in several towels, giggling with Yaya as we played cards on her bedroom floor. After warming me up with some tea, Yaya had noticed the dirt plastered against the skin on my arms, causing her to order me to bathe.

I'd gloried in the wonderful heated water; the bathroom had resembled a sauna when I was done with it. She'd place several towels out for me, and I'd decided to use practically all of them. They were lush and soft; I gloried in the comfort.

Yaya set down her cards, choosing to crawl behind me. Plucking a brush from a nearby drawer, she began brushing out my wet locks. My hair went past my hips, so some of it pooled on the floor behind me. As she brushed, I told her about my current situation...without mentioning the wolf blood involved.

"Wow...That's rough.", symphasized the young girl. "I can see why you would be tempted to run off."

"Yeah."

I threw back my head in thought, causing Yaya to protest. "Hey! You'll get more knots if you don't stay still!"

"Sorry." I smiled to myself. Yaya relaxed, being careful not to pull at my hair.

"So, that other guy has a thing for you, like Kukai?"

I shook my head in annoyance. "_Not _like Kukai. He doesn't see me like that. Ikuto is interested, but that's it."

Yaya made a face. "But he even gave you a nickname. I heard him call you his _pet_."

I groaned softly. "Don't you tell Rima, she'll murder me."

Yaya giggled. "Never, but she might go hunting for _him_."

For some reason, I had no doubt in my mind that she would. For all I knew, she'd probably cook him up for Thanksgiving dinner. The thought caused me to smile. I placed my cheek on the palm of my hand.

"Why would you say Kukai would have any interest in me? That would be way too weird."

Yaya gave a little sigh. "You're blind, Amu. He almost _always _uses your nickname, he's going out of his way to protect you, you guys have known each other forever...I would've figured you'd get the hint by now."

I just shook my head, refusing to believe in Yaya's nonsense.

The front door opened and shut. I wasn't concerned in the least. Rima wasn't the kind of girl who knocked. She just lets herself in.

She rushed up the stairs into the room. Yaya smiled and waved the brush at her. "Hello Rima!"

I gazed at Rima, smiling. Her hair was, if anything, just as long as mine, but hers was an adorable blonde. She sat in front of me, staring into my eyes, almost pouting.

"Why didn't you come to see _me _when you were in trouble?"

I groaned inwardly. I thought that Rima would understand...although I should have figured. She was very sensitive about our friendship, and anything that threatened it put her into a panic. Hell, any new friends I made were almost always informed of her position as my _bestest _friend.

"If it were anybody else, I would have, but Kukai _knows _that you'd be the first person I'd go to."

She nodded, a happy light flooding her eyes. It didn't take much explanation for her to cave in. "Ok!"

She sat back, searching my eyes curiously. "What's with Kukai, anyways? He was totally freaking out, I swear."

I sighed. "Well..."

Yaya interrupted eagerly.

"Kukai's gotten all protective of Amu since they met up with this guy near the wood last week, and he wouldn't even let her do anything by herself, and so she ran away, but then she met up with some perv near my place, so I rescued her, and she was all dirty, so I made her take a bath, and now-"

She paused, looking at the hairbrush in her hand. "And now I'm brushing her hair."

Rima and I exchanged looks. Only Yaya.

"Maybe Kukai is just paranoid about people who show up near the woods because his father is such a were-maniac!", said Rima, giggling softly.

I froze as the subject came up, then tried to calm down. "Yeah, that's probably it."

Rima tilted her head to the side. "But it doesn't really make sense. Why would Kairi just abandon you with Kukai all of a sudden?"

I looked her over. "We never told you about that..."

She shrugged. "I know. Kairi told me himself, just the other day. I've been meaning to talk to you about that."

I nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"He was bragging about getting some new bookshelves or something, but the whole time his eyes seemed...unstable?"

I shifted uncomfortably. "Maybe he's worried that my parents will scold him, I don't know."

Rima shook her head. "No, Amu, I really think he's been worried about you. I think something's been bugging him since he let Kukai take you."

Yaya nodded, her face smug. "Like the fact that Kukai likes 'Kit' or like pervy adores his 'Little Pet'."

I looked at Yaya in horror, just as Rima's eyes began burning in anger.

"_What?!"_

I chuckled nervously. "Yaya was just making assumptions about Kukai, and Ikuto _did_ say some weird stuff, but-"

"Oh, so you even remembered his name, huh? I swear to...I'm going to slice him to smithereens!"

I grabbed a lock of my hair and twirled it around my finger anxiously.

"Listen, it's no big deal. Right now, I just need somewhere to stay, somewhere Kukai won't be able to find me. A place he'd never think to look."

Yaya nodded silently, securing my hair in a high ponytail so that it wouldn't touch the floor. Rima laid back, her eyes thoughtful.

"I know of an abandoned cottage that lies on the other side of the woods. If we could get you there, without Kukai detecting us, then you could stay there until this whole thing blows over. Yaya and I could bring you food and clothes and stuff, so you'd be alright."

I thought about it. The idea was certainly appealing. Yaya spoke up.

"I know about that cottage. It's perfect, especially since pervy guy mostly hangs out on _this _side of the forest. Plus, If we travel by day, nothing bad will happen. And I bet Kukai would never _dream _that you'd go through the forest."

Rima nodded, growing excited by the idea. "There's a gorgeous field surrounding the place; it's breathtaking! We could go out for picnics while you're there!"

I smiled, warming up to the plan.

"Alright, but visits must be subtle. If Kukai were to follow you, this whole thing comes crumbling down. There's this snowy owl that hangs around me sometimes; I could probably train it to send you guys messages and stuff."

Yaya clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Ooh this is going to be fun!"

Rima nodded happily. "As long as we don't get caught!"

I raised my hands over my head, a stretch as well as a gesture of triumph.

"We move out tomorrow!"

As a side note, thanks to my reviewers, you guys are amazing!


	5. Incoming!

I held the cloak tight around my body, letting my bangs hang over my eyes. Yaya and Rima kept the hoods of their cloaks off, complaining that there was no point to them being hidden; just me. I just shrugged; I liked it better this way. My scent covered, my hair hidden within the confines of the cloak...yes, this was fine indeed.

We'd already made it halfway through the forest when a sudden chill racked through my body. I kept glancing about, straining my ears for any unusual sounds. Nothing.

Yaya ran off ahead, turning to shout back to us. "We'll be there super soon! Then you'll be happy! The meadow is super pretty!"

I gave her a light smile, while Rima just rolled her eyes in exasperation. Yaya had the attention span of a squirrel, so the whole trip had been rather slow. The sun was already heading downwards. I checked the height of it; there was still quite a while before we'd have to worry.

Rima knelt down and picked up a brightly colored leaf. Smiling softly, she whispered, "Pretty."

I decided to let my hood down, allowing my hair to cascade down my back, just hitting my hips. I breathed in the glorious smell of fall, twirling in sync to the falling leaves. It was like an intricate dance between me and the nature surrounding me. I'd always been happiest like this.

I stopped, noticing that Rima and Yaya were smiling my way. "What?"

Rima laughed quietly. "It's nothing, but it certainly has been awhile since I've seen you smile so happily. It makes your whole face light up."

I blushed slightly. I knew the translation of her words; 'You've been so depressed lately. It's great that you can finally let yourself go'.

Yaya clapped her hands. "Hurry, hurry, hurry up! We have to make sure Amu is settled in, then go home!"

Rima pursed her lips, but I placed a gentle hand on her shoulder before she could comment.

"Yaya's right. If you guys don't get home before nightfall, it'll seem suspicious. Besides, I couldn't sleep well knowing you guys were in the forest alone."

Rima shrugged me off, choosing to continue forward while staring at the ground. "I know that. I just really don't like leaving you there alone. Now that I think about it, I don't like leaving you alone in that house. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..."

I bit my knuckle nervously.

"Rima, this was the only thing we could do. Kukai won't lay off. Even if we went back now, he'd never leave me alone again! You know that."

She grimaced. She didn't like it, but knew that I was right. Yaya stepped up beside her.

"But, Kit, Rima is right, too. You're gonna be right near the forest. It could be kind of dangerous."

I was barely listening. My eyes were to the sky.

"We don't have time to hesitate. You guys have to get back. Now."

Rima jerked up her small head, her eyes meeting mine defiantly. "No way are we leaving you to go the rest of the way alone!"

I sighed in irritation. "We don't have much of a choice. We've been stalling too long."

Yaya looked up and reflected on the setting sun.

"Why don't we all just go back and try again tomorrow?"

Rima and I glared at the younger girl. "Then this journey was for nothing."

I sighed. "We have to figure out what to do. Staying in the middle of the forest isn't safe..."

Rima and Yaya just blinked at me. I had to remind myself that they didn't understand the whole situation. Not that I did, either...

A rumble caught our attention. I eyed a seemingly far off cloud that had grown dark. A small flash of light protruded from said cloud.

I began to feel uneasy. "Ok, guys, decision's gotta be fast, now. What do we do?"

Yaya trembled. She'd always been afraid of thunderstorms, and even in the past few years of her aging, it hadn't changed a bit.

"M-Maybe we should go to the cottage. It's closer."

Rima narrowed her eyes at Yaya's shaking form.

"No way. Town may be farther, but it's also safer. It won't be out in the open."

They both glanced at me. I just sighed. Really, they decide now that the decision is mine to make?

"I move to go to the cottage. It is closer, and Kukai won't be able to get to me. What else need be said? I'll have a message sent to your parents to let them know where you are-"

"But Amu", interrupted Yaya, "Then they can tell Kukai."

I blinked. "Oh, right."

Stupid me.

Rima's eyes flickered between us, the setting sun and the clouds, nerves beginning to set in.

"I don't know what we should do."

I huffed irritably.

"I just said, we're going to the cottage."

"But our parents..."

"Rima!"

Thunder crackled, louder than before. Yaya yelped, and even I couldn't help but shiver. Rima closed her eyes in hesitation, grabbing at her hair.

A voice came from beyond the trees. Female.

"If I promise to take care of your friend, will you two go away? You're all so noisy."

I peered into the darkness. A tall blond girl approached, staying just within the tree-line.

"Well?"

I noticed her eyes first. They had a slight glow in the coming darkness. I didn't understand completely, but I trusted her. Moreover, my friends had to get home before the storm.

"I'll go with you."

Rima moved to object, but I quieted her immediately.

"Sshh, you can come see me when the storm passes. By then, I'll be at the cottage. Ok?"

Rima's eyes fought mine, but when Yaya tugged at her cloak, she sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but if she doesn't keep you safe, she'll have to deal with me."

The blond scoffed, quieting after I gave her a harsh look. I gave my friends a final hug before disappearing into the forest with the stranger.

When we'd gotten well into the forest, I stopped to address the blond.

"You're a werewolf, right?"

She just nodded, continuing to push through the branches.

"Ugh, so many damn bushes!"

I followed after her, yelping when my hair got caught. Grunting, the blond came back to help me.

I looked into her eyes. "Name?"

She freed my abused hair. "Utau."

I kept up with her, deciding to follow her footsteps to keep from hurting myself.

"Do you know a guy with blue hair?"

She scoffed. "Only one like him. Werewolf, right?"

I nodded. She sighed in irritation.

"What, did that idiot show up in your village?"

I shrugged. She already knew the answer. Apparently, she also knew about the village. Thankfully, no explanations were needed on either side, and we were both content with that.

I fingered a leaf that had fluttered into my hair.

"You guys in the same pack or something?"

She turned to look at me, keeping her pace steady, her footsteps soft. "Unfortunately."

I grimaced slightly. I wasn't getting far with her. If they were in the same pack, I needed to let her know that I couldn't be near the guy.

She suddenly leaned near me, giving a delicate sniff. Whatever scent she caught made her smile. I couldn't help but smile as well; she didn't look as depressed with a smile on her face.

"You smell really nice."

I twisted a lock of hair around my finger. "Thanks."

I saw a cave up ahead, then stopped in my tracks. It caused Utau to stop as well. She turned to look at me curiously. "Well? Come on. The storm's going to hit soon."

I chocked on my words. "The whole pack sleeps in the same cave?"

She laughed kindly.

"Oh no, just families keep a cave. There are just a few families in the pack, so there's no need to share. This cave is just for me and my brother."

I relaxed and smiled, following her into the entrance. "Oh, alright. You have a brother?"

I couldn't see well until she lit a small lantern. A glint of blue caught my eyes.

"Yeah, this is the dork, right here."

I almost gaped; at the back of the cave, in what looked like a heap of straw, lay a grinning, perverse werewolf known by the name of Ikuto.


End file.
